Travel Wire News Susan Tanzman, owner and president of Martin's Travel and Tours, Inc. in Los Angeles, was honored  with the American Society of Travel Agents' (ASTA) 2005 Travel Agent of the Year Award during the general session at ASTA's 75th World Travel Congress in Montrأƒآ©al. The award, inspired by Joseph W. Rosenbluth, recognizes an active travel agent member who has made a great contribution to the travel industry and whose outstanding influence and professional activity have advanced the status of travel agents.

This year's Travel and Tourism Awards are courtesy of The Hertz Corp.

"Susan Tanzman has been at the forefront of promoting the travel agent throughout her career. She has worked endless hours in the political arena in California and chaired ASTA's 2002 World Travel Congress in Honolulu," said Kathryn W. Sudeikis, CTC, ASTA president and CEO. "I am honored to present her with this award recognizing her achievements and talents as a skilled travel agent, entrepreneur and advocate."

In addition to acting as chairperson of ASTA's 2002 World Travel Congress, Nov. 3-8, in Honolulu, she was co-chair of ASTA's Western Regional in 1992. Nationally, from 1990 to 1992 she served on ASTA's Board of Directors representing Area 2-Southern California; from 1992 to 1994 she was ASTA's national vice president; and in 1994, she became vice president and secretary for the Society.

On the chapter level, she was elected president of the Southern California Chapter (1998-1990) and has served as the chapter representative on the California Coalition of Travel Organizations and as its president, as well as chairman of the chapter's State Legislative Government Affairs committee.
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As for committee work, she has chaired the Consumer Awareness, Government Affairs and Budget and Finance Committees, ASTA's Communications Task Force and ASTA Marketing Services, Inc. (AMSI). In addition to her work as chair, she currently serves on ASTA's Communications Committee and has served on a variety of task forces and the following ASTA committees: Consumer Affairs, Congress, Government Affairs and ASTA's Presidential Commission on the Airline Business.

She has been instrumental in developing and promoting the California Seller of Travel Law. Among her passions is the eradication of travel scams-she has chaired three ASTA Travel Scam Conferences, including the one held in 2005, acted as an expert witness on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission to shut down scam operators, and worked with the FBI to investigate and prosecute scam operators. In 1981, she testified before a Congressional subcommittee on travel scams which resulted in a telemarketing bill passing in Congress.

Tanzman also chairs the California Coalition of Travel Organizations and sits on the board of the California Restitution Corp. She has served on several advisory boards, including those for Alamo Rental Car, United Airlines and the Kahala Mandarin Hotel.

She has been named by Travel Agent as one of five 'Outstanding Retail Professionals,' one of the most 'Powerful Women in Travel,' and to its 'People of the Year' issue. Tour and Travel News named her as one of the 'Industries Top Travel Executives.' She has received the American Eagle Award by American Airlines, the Elaine Kirschner Travel Agent of the Year Award and the NOAH Award by the Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH).

When not involved with ASTA committees and governance, Tanzman speaks regularly to audiences throughout the world, educating travel agents on profitability and their legal rights.

Martin's Travel and Tours was honored by the Oahu Visitor's Bureau as Outstanding Travel Agency of the Year in 2000.